For the last two years, Amy Schmittauer has been my go-to girl for learning how to vlog. Now I don’t spend a lot of time watching videos on YouTube, but I can easily spend two hours binge watching Savvy Sexy Social and I always walk away having learned heaps about improving my social media and my vlog. If you’re wanting to learn how to vlog like a boss, the great news is Amy has just written the book. Today, we’re going to explore what this book is about, how it can help you, and I’m going to tell you how you can get your hands on a copy of this book courtesy of me.

Hi, I’m Salome Schillack and I help coaches and consultants become wildly popular and get scores of new leads into their businesses using Facebook video and Facebook video ads. When I heard Amy was writing a book about vlogging, I was both excited because it’s more Amy but in a book, and a little bit confused because writing a book about something as practical as making a video, like doesn’t it make more sense to make a video about making a video? Ha, and that’s exactly where I was wrong. Amy has nailed it in her book, Vlog Like a Boss.

This book is all about how to think like a professional vlogger so you can show up and shine consistently and confidently. Amy addresses all of the mindset hurdles that typically trips us up when we’re just starting out and prevents us from showing up and delivering our hearts out for the people who need to hear our message most.

Tony Robbins is famously quoted for saying, “It’s not a lack of resources that’s stopping you, it’s a lack of resourcefulness.” In Vlog Like a Boss, Amy gives us the right tools to build our resourcefulness muscles so we can go out and create professional vlogs without feeling paralysed by fear or wanting to go out and buy of tonnes of expensive gear.

Then of course, she addresses the Facebook vlogging versus YouTube vlogging issue. This is where I was getting ready to get my boxing gloves on defend my BFF Facebook against this millennial YouTuber. But she surprised me with the perfect explanation of pros and cons of both platforms, and she even gives examples of how she uses Facebook to drive traffic to her YouTube channel.

Vlog Like a Boss is an easy read, and Amy’s conversational style made me feel like I was sitting down to a couple glasses of wine chatting to a friend about a topic we both really love. I really enjoyed this book. Amy is funny, and she’s smart, and her heartfelt desire to help people start vlogging moved me. Everyone who wants to grow their business on social media should read Vlog Like a Boss.

Vlog Like a Boss is the perfect starting point if you’re considering using video to reach more of your ideal clients and to build stronger connexions with them faster. Nothing builds know, like and trust factor as fast as video. When you combine your vlogging efforts with the power of precision targeting in Facebook ads, you have a winning combination to get leads delivered into your inbox while you sleep.

To help you get started with vlogging, I’m giving away a copy of Vlog Like a Boss. Tell me in the comments below what’s the one biggest hurdle that’s stopping you from starting your own vlog whether it’s on Facebook or YouTube. I’m going to choose one lucky winner and I will personally send you a copy of Amy’s fabulous book. If you like this video give it a like, and if you think someone else will like it too, go ahead and share it with them please.

Coming up with fresh new content consistently can be a challenge. Sometimes we know our own area of expertise so well that it can be difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of our followers and share with them something that they don’t know. If that’s you, then don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal and I see it all the time. That’s why today, together, we’re going to explore ways that you can come up with 20 content ideas in 30 minutes or less, so you can spend less time worrying about coming up with new content ideas and more time engaging with the people who are consuming that wonderful content.

Firstly, I want you to ask your followers what they want. Give them some broad options of topics and create a poll. See which ones come up top, and create content on the three to five top ones.

Next, look at what the industry leaders in your area is talking about. What’s the hot topic? What’s controversial? What’s got people polarised? What are the major challenges your industry is facing at the moment? Create a blog, a video blog, or a podcast episode around the major talking points industry leaders are talking about.

Read a book and share how what you learned in the book relates to your business or your life or your area of expertise. Or maybe, read more than one book and create a list of your favourite books on a specific topic that relates to your area of expertise.

Something else you can try is think about things that have gone wrong. Things that have gone wrong in your business or life, or things that went wrong in the life or business of one of your clients. Share what happened, what you learned from it, and how it can be easily prevented the next time.

Share behind the scenes. If reality TV has proven anything, it’s that we love going behind the scenes of the people we adore. Take your followers behind the scenes of your life or your business to show them how you’ve created the success you have.

How about Googling your own area of expertise? What are the top articles that come up? What opinions do you have about those top articles and how can you contribute to the conversation?

What about interviewing an authority in your field? Reach out to every authority in your industry and ask them if they’ll spare a few minutes to add value to your audience. But remember, you have to give if you want to get. Find out what matters most to them and see if you can help them first.

Finally, host a live Q&A. Let your community interview you and pay attention to the questions they ask. Turn those questions into your next three or five video or blog topics.

That should keep you busy for a while. Coming up with video or blog topics and ideas should feel light and easy. You now have a few places you can start. As you start creating consistent quality content, you’ll feel your content muscles flexing and you’ll get stronger and stronger and it will get easier and easier.

Go ahead and tag someone in the comments who would also like to hear these tips on coming up with content ideas in less than 30 minutes. Have a Facebook fabulous week, and see you next week!

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re just starting out. We all want our videos to look good, but here’s the good news. You probably already have everything you need to get started with making really cool videos at home.

The first and most important thing you need to make good videos is good content, Yes, content is still the king. People want to learn and they want to learn from you, so teach them something valuable.

The second thing you need is a good script. Invest some time in writing a script. A good script takes your audience on a journey from identifying a problem they have to solving the problem for them. Having a script saves you a ton of editing time, it ensures that your message is clear and concise and your audience is more likely to come back and watch more of your videos if you keep them engaged.

The 3rd thing you need is good audio. People will forgive you if you don’t have fresh flowers in the background or if you forgot to apply lipstick that day, what they won’t tolerate is not being able to hear you.

You can use the built-in mic on your headphones very effectively if you are on a tight budget. The important thing is that you use what you have right now. Don’t let a lack of fancy microphones hold you back from getting started.

When you are ready to step up your audio, get a lavalier lapel mic like this one. It plugs straight into your phone and you are ready role!

You can get a fancy Rode Lavalier for about $80 on Amazon or the Movo Lavalier for $18 works just as well.

The next thing you need is a smart phone. iPhone or Android it doesn’t matter which. I’ve heard it said that Android phones have better cameras than iPhones, but who wants and android when you can have an apple! Seriously!

And last but not least, you need a tripod or some kind of contraption that will keep your phone still. When I made my first video my phone balanced on top of my computer which balanced on top of 3 Tony Robins books, which balanced on top of a footstool which balanced on top of my baby’s change table.

Yeah, any contraption that prevents your phone from shaking will do.

Or buy a tripod with an iPhone holder like the one that I have for $12 on Amazon.

Now this is where you should listen up! Here are the 3 things you don’t need before you start making your vlogs.

1. All the confidence in the world! You will feel scared, self-conscious, uncomfortable and afraid. You’re stepping out of your comfort zone you should be afraid. If you’re not afraid you don’t care enough. Do it scared! Do it despite your fear. Take on this mantra “I can’t, therefore, I must” Then do it again and again and again and again until you start feeling more comfortable.

2. You don’t need a website. If you have one – Awesome, if you don’t, start making videos and build your ‘Know, Like and Trust’ factor on social media now. Livestream and video are exploding on social media right now. Don’t wait until you have the perfect website to start cashing in!

3. The third thing you don’t need is fancy editing techniques. If you think you do, you’re just procrastinating. I get it; I’ve been there, now snap out of it! If you have good content and you are well prepared, people will listen to your message.

So there you have it. 5 Things you need to start a vlog and 3 things you don’t.

To help you get started, I’ve created a list of my favorite vlogging resources with links to where you can get them. You can click on the link below to get your free list of resources.

As always your comments are the highlight of my day so please share your thoughts with me in the comment box below.

And if you love this video, share it with other entrepreneurs who are ready to shine online!